The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-01-01
AN ODD CEREMONY.
The Burial OF an African King by the Noisy
Savage Subjects.

Savage Subjects.
Among the passengers on board the
schooner Lottic Beard, brought to this
port from Kabcnda on her recent pas
Sage, was a young man of perhaps
seventeen, who attracted the eyes of
the observers that had gathered on the
wharf to witness the arrival of the vcs-
sci.
Tho young mans name was Arch
Steel, and his native place Dennison,
Iowa. He is son of well-to-do fur
nituro dealer of that place, and
Methodist missionary. He went away
last March and returned because of
inconsistencies.
He was one of Bishop Taylor's colony
that left for Africa in March. which
consisted of twenty-seven persons, in
cluding men, women and children. and
apprentices. 1t sailed by steamer from
New York on the Goth of last March,
and first landed at Madeira. The next
port was Teneriffe. one of the largest
islands of the Canary group, where a
day or two was spent. At Grand
Canary islands II short stay was made,
which allowed the party time to visit the
Jesuit Cathedral. A change of steamers
was here made, and the party embarked
aboard the steamer Nubian and Sierra
Leone.
Proceeding down the coast, Mayambia
was reached, which was the hcadquar-
ters ut that time of Bishop Taylor.
With Bishop Taylor the party proceed
ed and arrived at Kabenda the Goth of
May.
Upon first landing at Kebanda,"
said Mr. Steel, 1--WE were met by the
Governor of the place and invited to
dinner and supper with him. The next
day he picked out place for us to
pitch our tents and gave us a couple of
natives to help do our work, which we
paid by giving them certain guam
tity of cloth. Kabcnda comprises
settlement of fiftyfour towns within a
distance of ten miles of the bay where
we landed, with population of 50O.-
600. Shortly after we arrived at Ka-
benda n King of one of the more inn
portant towns died, and whenever a
King dies Il week is taken to bury him.
SIN this case huge coffin twelve
feet long, nine feet high and three feet
wide was built on rack six feet high
with immense wheels. 1t was only a
short distance from the Kings house
TO the burial-place, but the rack
is moved only II short distance each
day. A large delegation of natives
from each town held services around
the coffin, and they made the day and
night hideous with the noises from their
rude instruments. the principal one be-
ing Il tom-tOm or native drum.
"a big bell is suspended from the
rack, which is rung at regular intervals.
The crowd around the funeral rack ut
night is larger than in the daytime, and
everybody dances. That is, they turn
round and round in one spot, but do not
move in circle.
"The most impressive part of the
ceremony is that performed by gilley-
gilley doctors, or medicine men.
Everybody gets drunk on the rum,
which is purchased of English traders,
and which is Il great deal worse than
American rum. While certain part
of the natives are holding services
around the coffin, another party is en-
gagged in digging an immense grave.
which was over twenty feet deep. The
grave is always dug at night by the
light of torches made of native gum,
and carried by women on the edge of
tho grave.
Singing is kept up throughout the
night. On the morning of the last day
the coffin is lowered into the grave and
the natives disperse to their homes.
Nearly all the men on the coast have
coats which they obtained from sailors
in steamers by selling them parrots,
and the women nearly all have gar
ments of American cloth.
"Witchcraft prevails to certain en-
tent among the natives of Kabenda, and
if any person has been offended in any
manner by another person he charges
him with witchcraft, and the gilley-
gilley doctors take him in charge and
administer dose of sasswood. If the
makes the person vomit he is
not guilty of witchcraft. but
if he does not vomit he is looked upon
as witch. His lands and goods are
taken from him and given to the per-
son whom he has offended. This has
beon done since our party landed there,
and it is hard to make them believe
there is no such thing us witchcraft. ~
NcU Bedford Cor. Boston Globe.